Railroad-track structure



March 25, 1930. w. DALTON ,7 2,152

nventorf i ian'n Dalton,

i5 At ltov'n 6y.

Patented Mar. 25, 1930 are WILLIAM DALTON, F GLENVILLE, YORK- RAILROAD-TRACK srnucrrunn Application filed April 1 1, 1929. Serial 1\ To. 354,390.

The present invention relates to railroad track structures and especially to an improved construction and arrangement for clamping 'or fasteninga track rail to a tie plate or other rail supporting member. The invention may be used in connection'with either wooden ties or metal ties. It is well adaped for use with a metal tie such as that disclosed in my Patent No. 1,657,241, dated January 24,1928; 7

An object of my .inventionisto provide an improved structure wherein the rail fastening'means 0r clamping means comprises only a single member which when positioned is 1 wedged into place so it cannot come. out

whereby it forms a most efficient fastening, I the fastening member, at thesame time, be

ing simple in structure so that it maybe manufactured at low cost. a

For a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the followingspecification and the claims appended thereto. H

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is atransverse sectional view of a structure embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a side viewof the clamp shown in Fig.1; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the clamp; Fig. 4 is aview similar to Fig. 1 showing a modificatiomand Fig. 5 is a side view of the clamp shown in Fig; 4.

Referring to the 'drawing,.1 indicates a i'ailroad'tracktie and 2 indicates a tieplate supported thereon, the tie plate being provided with spaced openings 3 to receive a fastener or clamp for attaching a rail to the tie. The tie plate may be one of standard structure and preferably on its thicker side it'is provided with a bottom recess 4 of a depth such that the same size fastener or clamp will fit both openings 8. A clearance is required beneaththe tie plate to receive the lower end of the fastener or'clamp. 111 the case of a metal tie, this may be made inherent in the structure as in the tie shown in my above referred to patent. In the case of a wooden tie, the clearance may be provided by forming holes in the tie as is indicated at 5 in Figs. 1 and4, 6 being a drain hole for discharging'water. 7 indicates a rail supported on the'tie plate.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 3, the form of clamp here shown comprises a metal block having a concave inner face S'formed about the point a a centerand provided at about its central portion with a transverse circular ridge 9 formed about a center 2;. Ridge 9 forms a fulcrum for the clamp when it is put into place] The outerface 10 of the clamp is convex and is formed about a center 0 located above center a. The radius of face 10 is greater than the radius of face 8 so that there is formed a wedge shaped toe 11. The

upper edge of face 10 terminatesin a ridge 12 formed about a center d, center at being located below center Z) as is shown in Fig. 2. Just above ridge 12 is a shoulder 13 which forms a stop for limiting downward movement of the clamp. Above shoulder 13 is a second shoulder 14 which may be used for removing the clamp by the use of a pinch bar. This may be done by placing the bar under shoulder 14 and prying up on the shoulder. The inner upper end of the'clamp is in the form of atoe 15 which stands over the edge of the baseflange of the rail to hold '5 therail on the tie.

* When the clamp is to be inserted in an opening, it is placed in the opening as shown at the right hand side of Fig. 1, the ridge 9 resting against the inner face of the opening and the ridge 12 engaging the upper outer corner of the opening. The clamp is thenv driven down with a suitable tool to bring it to the position shown at the left' hand side ofFig. 1. In being driven down, the clamp turns on';the ridge 9 as a fulcrum and ridge 12 is moved from a-position wherethe horizontal plane of its center is above the horizontal plane ofthe center of ridge 9' to a' position where the horizontal plane of its center isbelow the horizontal plane of the center of ridge 9. The clamp then engages the tie plate at three points indicated at m, y and a at the left of Fig. 1, the clamp being wedged into position with the point w below the point 3 The clamp is thus firmly held and any pressure applied upward to the under sideof toe 15 by the rail flange will't'end to wedge the clamp still tighter. The clamp maybe removed by prying under shoulder 14: with a pinch bar or other suitable tool.

I may, if found desirable, give a small amount of flexibility to the clamp in a transverse direction by providing saw cuts therein as This space may be madeof any desiredwidth.

by shaping the clamp. In this form of the invention the clamp is held entirely in the tieplate.

When it is desired to fasten the rail down tight on the tie plate, I may use a constructionias shown in Figs. 4 and 5. This construction is generally similar to thatofFigs'. l me except that the ridge 9 is omitted, and the same reference numerals. with the exponent a added have been applied to corresponding partsr The. clamp. engages. the rail and tie plate. at. the three-points 10,4) and w, the horizontal plane of the point a being below the horizontal plane of the center of concave surface. 8?. With. this. arrangement it: will be seen that the base flange of the tie is clamped down tightly on the tie plate. At

the righthand side of Fig. 4 the clamp is shown as having been placed in the opening ready to bedriven to position, the concave inner surface being in engagement. with the top corner ofthe base flange of the rail and with the lower inner corner of the opening. hen driven down, the clamp turns on these two corners and moves to the position shown at the left. hand side of Fig. 4:. In this con.- struction, saw cuts, corresponding to-the saw cuts 16 of Figs. 1 to 3, are not provided. It will be understood,however, that they may be provided if found desirable.

. In connection with both the constructions I illustrated, it will be seen that the engaging ridge 1?. or 12 lies between the other two lines of engagement andin a position such that the clamp. is held in position after'the manner of a toggle that is forced past the horizontal line connecting the center of its two arms. Thisinsures a tight wedginginto'placeof the clamp and makes impossible its coming out by upward pressure applied by the rail flange against the under side of toe 15 or 15 LettersPatentof theUnited' States is: V 1. The combinationwith a tie plate having an opening, of a clampadapted for insertion 7 What I claim as new and desire to secureby an opening, of a clamp adapted for insertion into said opening to fasten a rail in position, said clamp having a concave inner face and a convex outer face provided with a transverse ridge, said convex face being formed with a radius greater than the radius of the inner face whereby the clamp is wedge shaped, said concave inner face receiving the adjacentv edges of the opening and the rail flange, and said ridge wedging against the outer face of said. opening. on a line. below its top edge.

3. A clamp for fastening a rail to a tie plate comprising a wedge shaped block having, a concave inner face and a convex outer face, said convex outer face having a transverse curved ridge and a transverse shoulder abovethe ridge, the radius of curvature ofthe outer convex face being greater than the radius of curvature ofthe inner. concave face. V V 1 A clamp for fastening a rail to atie plate. comprising a wedge shaped block having a concave inner face and a convex outer.

face, said faces being provided withtran's verse ridges, the ridge on the outer face'being lower than. the ridge on the inner face-3;, A clamp for fasteninga. rail to a tie plate comprising a wedge shaped block having a concave inner faceand a convex outer. face, said outerface being provided with a transverse ridge, and said block being provided with a narrow transversely extending slot- 6. The-combination with a tie plate having an opening, of a clamp adapted for insertion into said opening to fasten a rail in position,

said clamp being provided with a concave inner face having a transverse ridge and a coin vex outer face having a transverse ridge, said ridges being so located relatively to each other that when the clamp is inserted in said open? ing said outer ridge engages the outer face ofthe opening along a line lower than that at] which theinner ridge engages the inner face. of the opening.

' 7. The coinbinationwith a tie plate having an opening, of a clampadapted for insertion into said opening to fasten a rail in position, said clamp being provided with aconcaveinner face and a convex outer face having'a transverse ridge, saidridge being so located that when the clamp is inserted in said opening, it engages the outer face of the opening along. a line below the center of curvature of;

saidconcave inner face.

WILLIAM DALTON. 

